Have you ever been to Carrabba’s Italian Restaurant? They have some great things on the menu, but if we are being honest, I could go just for the olive oil bread dip, fresh bread and a glass of wine and be a perfectly happy camper.
What You’ll Need
Carrabba’s olive oil bread dip clearly uses dried spices, but you can also use a variety of finely minced fresh herbs and spices. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive oil – This is the star of the show, so you want to make sure to use a high quality olive oil here. I generally buy my quality olive oil domestically, from California, in fact. This one is my favorite.
- crushed red pepper flakes
- freshly cracked black pepper
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- dried parsley
- onion powder
- dried rosemary
- coarse sea salt (or Kosher salt)
- fresh crushed garlic
- garlic powder
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – The coarse kosher salt in this recipe helps to bring out the taste and flavors of the other ingredients while not being overly salty.
- Seasonings – You can mix and match fresh with dried herbs and add a few of your own, like thyme or a dash of dried minced onion or garlic for more texture and crunch. A dash of balsamic vinegar or a few grates of fresh parmesan cheese are also great.
- Sauces – Try mixing up the olive oil! Flavored oils, like garlic oil or herb infused oils are also fun and add another layer of flavor sophistication.
- Senses – Crusty bread meets a rich blend of olive oil, garlic, and herbs—warm, savory, and irresistibly fragrant. Each dip is a burst of flavor: earthy, peppery, and perfectly smooth.
Perfect Pairings
What is the best bread for dipping? What bread can’t you dip should be the answer! For this type of dip, aim for something that is hearty enough to tear and sop up the spices and olive oil. Above all, make sure it is something you like, your favorite bread! These are my favorites:
- Focaccia
- Italian bread (loaf)
- Sourdough bread
- Classic crusty white bread
- Toasted quick rolls– white or whole wheat
- French bread
- Olive bread
- Naan, pita or flatbread
- Check out all of our bread recipes!
Homemade Gifts
Restaurant style olive oil bread dip is also one of my favorite DIY gift ideas, much like my other infused olive oils. Buy cute little glass containers or mason jars at the local craft store and decorate them with fun and colorful string or silk flowers.
I like to use festive twine to attach a gourmet bottle of olive oil and voila, you have the perfect hostess gift straight from your kitchen! Label it as Bread Dipping Oil or Olive Oil Bread Dip and everyone will know what you mean.
Copycat Carrabba’s Bread Dipping Oil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 3 cloves fresh garlic , freshly crushed or minced
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary , 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt and 3 cloves fresh garlic, grated. Mix well.
- If serving immediately, measure out about 1 tablespoons of the spice mixture into a shallow plate or bowl. Add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Save the rest in an airtight container for another day!
- If you've made this recipe at home, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Shelf Life & Storage
Dry mix can be made ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container and the shelf life is good for several weeks. The salt is a natural preservative. If you know it won’t be used for a long time, omit the fresh garlic and add a teaspoon of garlic powder instead. Or you can include a cute note asking to “just add fresh garlic to serve”.
Because the shelf life is so long (before adding the olive oil) there should be no need to freeze.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this bread dip in advance. Mix your Italian seasonings and just add olive oil when you are ready to serve. Do not add the oil until you are ready. Store the mix in an airtight container.
I make a VERY large batch when I make this recipe. Salt will preserve the fresh garlic. Keep it in a dry, cool place, like the pantry, in an airtight container for 2 weeks. Check it to make sure the moisture in the fresh garlic doesn’t make mold. Again, salt should prevent this as it is a natural preservative.
It sure can. Olive oil can go rancid and the actual spice blend, when fresh garlic is used, can go bad if not stored properly. If you just make a dry spice blend, the spices themselves can lose flavor and potency, however they won’t be at the same risk for food contamination.
Pair with Our Italian Recipes
For a simpler bread dip, try my crack dip recipe, Garlic Parmesan Bread Dip or Stinking Rose Garlic Relish or give a look through our easy appetizer recipes! And then pair them with these dinners:
My husband and I absolutely loved this bread dip! So much flavor and so easy to make. I made it a day before in a small glass bowl then let it sit on n the refrigerator so the flavors could come together and infuse better. Boy we were not disappointed, I will do it again, worth waiting for. Thank you!
Thanks for coming back to let us know!
I made this and the only thing I did different was I added 1T freshly grated parmesan cheese to the dry ingredients and 1T Balsamic Vinegar when I added the olive oil. This is a great bread dipping oil recipe no doubt. Thank you!!
Lori
I love that customization!
I’ve been doing this for about 20 yrs since having it in a restaurant in Norfolk, Va. However, they used roasted garlic so I always roast a head and use that in the mix. Whatever spices/herbs you want to put in – this is why I am addicted to crusty bread!
I read through the comments, and decided to give it a shot! Wrong or not, it was a hit, everyone loved it and I’ll be making it again. Thank you! 😊
I was told by a server at Carrabba’s that fresh and dried parsley goes in it
Is that a poached egg in the photo!.
No poached egg- just really good olive oil 🙂
I love this recipe. I have had it for a number of years and I use it in almost everything. As an Italian seasoning whenever called for. Definitely for my garlic bread. Also for lots of different soups, from pasta fagoli to chicken and noodles. I mix it up by 1/4 to 1/2 cups of each spice and share it with my kids and a few friends. It is the best!
This is a decent sub for the authentic recipe. I’m sure it’s delicious, and I am going to try it. The actual Carrabas dipping oil herbs are fresh. They are chopped, then put on a flour sack towel and wrung (twisted) to release some of their moisture. Then chopped a little more and sprinkled in the plate, then you add the other ingredients. Delicious! Try it!
I added grated parmesan cheese and balsamic and it was SO GOOD. tasted just like carrabbas!! thank you!!
This was a huge hit which accompanied our charcuterie board. The red pepper flakes gave it a super bite and we did add the parmesan cheese for a bit of added flavor. Didn’t find a need to add a splash of balsamic, as it stood on it’s own with a fabulous flavor to dip into with our french baguette bread. We did add a bit more of the fresh garlic into the mix, and doubled to six kernels for a more garlic influence. Thanks for passing along a wonderful Savory Experience Jessica!!!
I LOVE that you LOVED it!